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View Full Version : Randy Couture Fights the Power, Signs with EA's MMA

pwnophobia
08-17-2009, 09:00 AM
http://evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/RandyCouture.jpg

Despite Dana White's attempt at getting his fighters to stay UFC branded, Randy Couture has signed with EA Sport's new MMA title, MMA.

Remember when UFC president Dana White proclaimed that any fighter who signs on with EA Sports MMA would be blacklisted from the UFC? Despite those threats from the highest power in televised mixed martial arts, EA announced over the weekend that five-time UFC champion Randy Couture will be featured in MMA.

via 1up (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3175602)

Randy is set to headline UFC 102 vs Big Nog, I'm eagerly awaiting to see how this all pans out.
bean19
08-17-2009, 09:17 AM
EA COULD create a rival UFC and get contracts with Spike, etc. I wonder how far this might go if the UFC is not merely bluffing.
vivalahazy
08-17-2009, 09:27 AM
If he loses this fight I doubt he'll be back in the UFC again anyway
senorduck
08-17-2009, 09:39 AM
Didnt some other big name already sign with EA?
pwnophobia
08-17-2009, 09:44 AM
Didnt some other big name already sign with EA?

Fedor Emelianenko but he isn't Zuffa.
Ozena
08-17-2009, 10:03 AM
This is intriguing. Not that big a fan of "The Natural," but he is a known name, and does have a high-profile fight coming up.

I'd like to see Dana White not be a pussy and stick to his guns, this is gonna be interesting to follow.
zland1
08-17-2009, 10:08 AM
I'm pretty sure UFC knew this was coming and this isn’t a big story, Randy left UFC while still under contract and as the UFC heavyweight champ and held out until the UFC redid his contract and I'm like 98% sure that in his new contract this was allowed since he did some kind of deal with EA while holding out.
citizen13
08-17-2009, 11:02 AM
Couture signed with EA during the time he was in a contract dispute battle with the UFC.
Couture was also at affliction events and if you remember was set to face fedor once he was released from his UFC contract. This never happened but the deal with EA stands.
This is also why he is not in the UFC game.
So yes EA annouced this as "new" but it's not and dana white's threat still stands.
Ozena
08-17-2009, 11:36 AM
Couture signed with EA during the time he was in a contract dispute battle with the UFC.
Couture was also at affliction events and if you remember was set to face fedor once he was released from his UFC contract. This never happened but the deal with EA stands.
This is also why he is not in the UFC game.
So yes EA annouced this as "new" but it's not and dana white's threat still stands.
That puts a different light on things. I'd still like to see what would happen if a popular fighter wanted to sign on with EA.

I can see Dana booting someone that doesn't draw a big crowd, but I wonder how his threat would be twisted to keep a fighter if someone like Bisping or St. Pierre talked to EA.
JazGalaxy
08-17-2009, 11:38 AM
It just wouldn't make any sense (to me) for fighters to trade their UFC career just to be in a videogame.
Froggy
08-17-2009, 12:04 PM
It just wouldn't make any sense (to me) for fighters to trade their UFC career just to be in a videogame.

As a diminutive wimp, it makes perfect sense to me. Selling my likeness to a videogame is an easier mil than getting punched in the nuts by a hundred bloodthirsty egotists.
TheBot
08-17-2009, 12:13 PM
So lets see, allow him to fight and make some money on it, or kick his ass out and stick to your guns. Eff that, don't be a puss, you've got better fighters to put out.
citizen13
08-17-2009, 01:11 PM
He's signed to a 3 fight deal, after his fight with nog he has 1 left.
He already lost to brock.
and again the EA deal was signed BEFORE he resigned with the UFC so he's not breaking any agreements. This is why he wasn't in the UFC game.
see colon
08-17-2009, 02:04 PM
Randy has always had a special contract with the UFC where he owns the rights to his own likeness. He hasn't appeared in any of the previous UFC games, ever when he was champion. He's had a cntract to appear in videogames from EA for a while, so tis isn't unexpecteed at all.
ScottBravesFan
08-17-2009, 08:20 PM
This is intriguing. Not that big a fan of "The Natural," but he is a known name, and does have a high-profile fight coming up.

I'd like to see Dana White not be a pussy and stick to his guns, this is gonna be interesting to follow.




Dana already knew about Couture signing with EA. He was in Red Alert 3 as well. Dana said that Randy is the only fighter exempt from that rule of being banned from the UFC.
TeeCakes
08-17-2009, 10:12 PM
Get Brock Lesnar onboard the EA title and we might be treated to a youtube video of Dana eating his hat, with a side of humble pie.
Rommel
08-19-2009, 02:26 AM
Dana already knew about Couture signing with EA. He was in Red Alert 3 as well. Dana said that Randy is the only fighter exempt from that rule of being banned from the UFC.

Bingo. This is a settled issue. EA is only making an annoucement because Randy is about to be back in the spotlight for his contention fight with Big Nog.